“When they asked me to go down, I said 100%,” jockey Frankie Pennington said following Alani’s win in Laurel Park’s Sunday feature. “She’s doing better and better, and the owner and trainer, they do such a phenomenal job.”

Pennington came to Laurel to ride one race, and he left Laurel with a win.

In what seemed on paper to be an inscrutable and highly competitive third-level allowance, Alani dominated her rivals, drawing away to a four-length victory that was her fourth in 11 career starts and pushed her bankroll past $190,000. She’s finished in the money in all but one of her outings.

It seemed a tougher assignment on paper. Included were stakes winners Cap Classique, who went off the favorite, and Miss Harriett. They, along with Centre Court Champ, were all making their first starts of 2025.

Alani has tended to be a horse who liked the front, but that was not the script today. In today’s six-furlong contest, it was the comebacking Miss Harriett, making her first start of the year, who grabbed the early lead, registering an opener in 22.38 seconds with longshot Happy Clouds a length back in second.

Alani, meanwhile, was content to bide her time in third, two lengths off it.

“She was a little more relaxed out there, which worked out perfect, because the four [Miss Harriett] and five [Happy Clouds] were out there together, and I let her get herself in stride,” Pennington explained.

Alani bid while outside rivals entering the stretch after a half-mile in 45.70. She took over nearing the eighth pole and drew off to the easy win in 1:10.48 for six furlongs on a fast main track.

“Once I asked her, she went on for me,” the rider added.

Alani paid $6.20 to win and topped an exacta with 22-1 Happy Clouds second that returned $50.20 for a buck. Miss Harriett held third, while Centre Court Champ and favored Cap Classique rounded out the field.

Alani, a four-year-old by Competitive Edge, began her career in trainer John Servis’ barn at Parx Racing, breaking her maiden in her sixth career start, a streak that included four second-place finishes before the graduation score. In her next start, Servis entered her for a $75,000 tag in an allowance/optional claimer, and owners Hardesty Stables and Michael Day and trainer Michael Moore pounced.

Today’s win was Alani’s third in four starts since, and while Pennington rode her regularly for Servis, he has retained the mount for the new connections. He likes what he’s seeing from her.

“Since she’s gotten older, she’s definitely matured a lot,” Pennington said. “She really started paying attention and loving her job.”

NOTES Jockey Yedsit Hazlewood won a pair on the afternoon… Beachfront Breeze suffered a catastrophic injury during the second race; jockey Andy Hernandez left the track under his own power… Not one but two horses were disqualified from victories. Skylar’s Brother, with Yan Rodriguez up, was DQed after coming out and bumping Stormy Hollow (Victor Carrasco) in the shadow of the wire in a maiden claimer. Two races later, Homestead (Martin Chuan), breaking from the outside, headed towards the rail a bit too aggressively nearing the first turn of another maiden claimer, putting the squeeze on a couple of rivals; he was placed third, behind Silly Rabbit (Jorge Ruiz) and Tasker (Wes Hamilton)… Silly Rabbit, elevated to first, was something of a pedigree curiosity in the race: the first-time starter – in for the $45,000 tag – is a son of Uncle Mo and a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Spendarella, Grade 2 winner Spanish Queen, and Grade 3 winner Spanish Loveaffair. He’s trained by Graham Motion for owner-breeder Gainesway Stable…